Refraction Experiments in Room16

Our experiments this afternoon used a counter, a ruler and a cup of water.  We were learning about how light can be manipulated and ‘bent’ using the different mediums of air and water.

The first experiment involved putting a counter under the cup of water.  When viewed from the top the counter was still visible, but viewed from the side the counter had ‘disappeared’.

For the second experiment we placed a ruler in the cup of water.  We observed it from different angles and noted what we saw.

From side on the ruler looked ‘bent’ from the point it entered the water.

From the front the ruler appeared larger due to the convex shape of the cup creating a magnifying ‘lense’.